Firoza asks…I often find producers of “herbal” or “ayurvedic” cosmetics selling sunscreens containing red sandalwood as the active ingredient. They rate these sunscreens as SPF 50 or higher. Does red sandalwood actually have any sun blocking properties?
The Left Brain responds:
Red Sandalwood may have certain medicinal properties when applied topically (see this article ) but it is not approved for use as a sunscreen. Any products using this as the “active” sunscreen ingredient would be illegal drugs in the U.S. (and several other countries.)
Red Sandalwood + Sunscreen
I did a quick check on this ingredient and found that it’s used in a brand called Biotique. I couldn’t find a complete ingredient list for this product but I did find this statement on a website selling the product:
“This nutrient-rich cream is blended with pure sandalwood, saffron, wheat germ, honey and bark of the arjun tree to keep skin soft, fair and moisturized. Protects skin with broad spectrum SPF 50 UVA/UVB sunscreen. Very water resistant, retains SPF after 80 minutes in the water.”
So, it looks like the product contains red sandalwood but actually protects skin using a broad spectrum SPF 50 UVA/UVB sunscreen. I think this is a classic case of the company implying that the product works because of the natural ingredient but it actually contains chemical sunscreens like most other products.
If anyone can find a complete list of ingredients for this, or similar, products let me know and I’ll review it to determine exactly what chemical is providing the sunscreen efficacy.
Image credit: fotopedia.com
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I hadn’t heard of red sandalwood before this post but it was still informative.
Was the question asked by one of your readers?
I found Biotique’s ingredient list for what may be this product (They call it “Bio Sandalwood FACE & BODY SUN CREAM SPF 50 UVA/UVB SUNSCREEN”) at http://www.biotique.com/product_detail.php?pId=138&crId=
Chandan (Santalum album), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Nag kesar(Mesua ferrea), Ankurit Gehun (Triticum vulgare), Madhu (Honey), Arjun (Terminalia arjuna), Rakt Chandan (Pterocarpus santalinus), Lodhra (Symplocos racemosa), Mom (Bees wax), Sunflower oil, Himalayan Water Q.S.
Excellent blog, goes to show how careful you have to be reading labels and the ‘blurb’ attached to products!
I found this:
Safed Chandan (Santalum album), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Nag kesar(Mesua ferrea), Ankurit Gehun (Triticum vulgare), Madhu (Honey), Arjun (Terminalia arjuna), Rakt Chandan (Pterocarpus santalinus), Lodhra (Symplocos racemosa), Mom (Bees wax), Sunflower oil, Himalayan Water Q.S.
here:http://browsecart.com/product-biotique-face-body-sun-cream-spf-50-bio-sandalwood-55g-3847.aspx
and other ingredient lists that list the plant extracts in a ‘lotion base’
Santalum Album Oil(Chandan Tail 0.25%, Withania Somnifera (Aswagandha) Ext 2%, Mesua Ferrea Ext (Nagkesr Kwath) 1%, Triticum Vulgare (Ankurit Gehum Satva) 3%, Honey (Madhu)1%, Pterocarpus Santalinus Ext (Raktchandan Kwath)1%, Symplocos Racemosa Ext.(Lodhra Chhal Kwath)1%, Terminalia Arjuna (Arjun Chhal Kwath)2%, Lotion Base
It doesn’t seem to have any sun blockers, but there are claims that it is an aryuvedic mixture that prevents sun damage.
Red Sandalwood trees are also endangered. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/32104/0, Indian Sandalwood is vulnerable http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/31852/0
Helli Left Brain,
Biotique is a very popular brand in India and its use of Ayuverda wording is well known and people here are really die hards of this type of products. Its less of a problem if you deny other things but not the authencity of their pseudo science, course pseudo as my beliefs will allow, here it is a very serious business ayuverda.
The product in question might be the Red Sandalwood Lotion Spf50 sold on drugstores here and its not illegal to claim what they do as it is a completely different world regarding health regulations, but the ingredients in the box goes as:
Santalum album oil (chandal tail) 0.25%, Withania somnifetra (ashwagandha) extract 2%, mesua ferrea extract 1% (nagkesr kwath), Triticum vulgare (Ankurit Gehun Satva) 3%, Honey (Madhu) 1%, Pterocarpus Santalinus Extract (Raktchandan Kwath) 1%, Symplocos Racemosa extract (Lodhra Chhal Kwath) 1%, Terminalia Arjuna (Arjun Chhal Kwath) extract 2%, lotion base QS. This is not a cosmetic production. It has therapeutic properties.
Thanks for the kind words Marian
Indeed it was.
Dear Left brain, thank you *very* much for the response. I was indeed referring to the Biotique product, in my original email. They have positioned themselves as a brand marketing products based mainly on ayurvedic formulations, and a very popular locally. Many of these formulations, I suspect, have not undergone undergone any kind of rigorous laboratory testing for efficacy. Their packaging states that “This is not a cosmetic production. It has therapeutic properties.”. This seems like an attempt at tax evasion, as Indian laws treat ayurvedic preparations as medicines (of a sort) and so the taxes & duties are much lower than on a cosmetic product. Blogs like yours are really useful, because the ayurveda reference often appeals strongly to Indian (mainly Hindu) sentiments, especially if accompanied by images of wise old sages of yore! Keep up the good work for future.
-Firoza.